Pre-service teachers used blogs to discuss award-winning Newbery books using reading roles creativiely adapted from Harvey Daniel's 'Literature Circles: Voice and Choice in the Student-centered Classroom'. Contact Anne Davis at adavis@gsu.edu if you have questions.
These blogs were moved from Manila blogs to TypePad blogs. The author shows up on each post as Anne Davis as a result of the transfer. The original posts were made by students and the instructors Lynne Jordan & Anne Davis. The initials on the post title signify who did the actual blogging of the post.
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Wow! What a book. I'm really glad that I read this book. This book has presented so many great discussion topics to think about. There are numerous connections that can be made from this book to real life, other books, or people. After reading this book, I don't think I would use it with children younger than fifth grade. There are a lot of sensitive topics discussed and I don't think young elementary students would be able to relate. As much as the ending really frustrated me, I think it would be useful for students. It would be great for them to come up with how they think the book ended and then to share those ideas. It would be neat to hear everybody's different ideas and thoughts.
I have an idea for a food item we can bring for our presentation. I couldn't think of much that would really go with our book, but how about brownies with colored M&Ms sprinkled on top. Brownies are dark and then if we had a little bit of color (from the M&Ms) it can represent the color that is coming into Jonas' life. I can make them.
What do you think?
On page 150 Jonas sees his father killing the baby Gabriel (releasing him). His body physically goes through some changes (choking sensations and numbness). This was a life changing experience for him. He once had a certain view of people of importance to him and now that has been shattered. He will never be the same.
When I looked at this section again, it kind of reminded me of being a kid. When you're young, you look at your parents like they are these omniscient beings. I used to look at mom in a way that everything she said was correct. I remember as I got older and had more experiences, I began to realize that my mom really doesn't know everything. I didn't go through a dramatic change like Jonas, but it was still difficult.
When Jonas ran away with the baby, I could sympathize with him. There are times in my life that I felt running away was the thing to do. But, then I realized I couldn' run away from my problems. Where ever I went, they would follow. With Jonas, maybe it was the best answer and maybe it wasn't. I guess only each person who reads the book can decide.
The idiom is starving, located on page 173. When a person is very hungry, sometimes they say "I am starving." They are not really starving or close to death. In the book, Jonas remembers a time when, while in line for luch, he say he is starving.
New sentence: Sometimes when I haven't eaten all day, I say "I'm starving."
Knowledge: What ceremony did Jonas's father perform on the unwanted twin? Comprehension: Compare Jonas's point of view, of the community, prior to receiving the memories with his point of view after receiving the memories. Application: Identify three rules Jonas disobeyed during his escape from the community. Analysis: When The Giver says he wants to be with his daughter Rosemary, what does he mean? (Inference) Synthesis: Jonas has successfully escaped from the community. Make a prediction about what might happen next.
